Improvement in ditching-machines



M. W. FRBER.` Ditohng-Machine.

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N. PETERS. FHOTO-LITNOGRAPNER. WASHINGTON. D..C.

2 Sheens--SheetJ 2. M. W. FARBER.

Ditohing-Maohne. No. 211,560. Patented 1an. 21,1879.

MPETERS, PNQTOMTHOGHAFHER. WASHINGTON. D C,

UNITED STATES PATENT EETGE.

MANNASSEH W. FARBER, OF MOUNT PLEASANT, IOWA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE HALF HIS RIGHT TO OHAS. H. S

PLACE.

MITH AND JESSE STUBBS, OF SAME IMPROVEMENT IN' DITCHING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 211,560, dated January 21, 1879; application filed Y April e, 187e.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MANNAssEE W. FAR- BER, of MountPleasan t, in the county of Henry and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ditching-Ma- Y chines, and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference heilig had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure l is a rear elevation of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, the near wheels removed, and the distant wheels shown in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a -top-plan view. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are detail 'views, hereinafter referred to. Fig. 7 is avertical sectional view of the forward part of the machine in the line a: in Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the forward part ofthe inachine. Fig. 9 is a bottom view of the dirtelevating spout. Fig. 10 is a sectional view, showing the adjustment of the wing cutters.

My invention relates to improvements in ditching-machines of that class having devices for cutting the ditch, in combination with devices for removing the excavated dirt; and the invention consists in the construction and conibination of parts hereinafter referred to, described, and claimed.

Referring to the parts by letters, A represents they axle, and A the wheels, of the forward part of the machine. The axle A has a centrally-elevated part, a, above which is xed a plate or frame, a1, to which is adjusted a vertically-operatin g rack-bar, B, which gears with a pinion, B', carried in standards b, which standards project from the plate al.

The pinion B has a crank, b', on `one side, by means of which it maybe operated to raise and lower the rack-bar B, and has a ratchetwheel, b, and detent b" on the other end, by means of which it may be locked in position to hold said rack-bar at any desired elevation.

C is ashort draft-bar, connected to the axle A by braces c, and has plates C', pivoted one to each side of its rear end.

The plates G have slots c', through which bolts c" pass to connect them with plates C, which are journaled to the lower end of the rack-bar B, thus connecting the draft-bar by plates C O directly with the lower end of the rack-bar B, and connecting the plates C C" by slots and bolts, so as to permit of adjusting them to allow the rack-bar to be moved in a vertical path.

D is the scoop-.shaped shovel or cutter, journaled or hinged on a transverse shaft, d, to the lower end of the rack-bar, so that it may be oscillated in a vertical plane on said journal, to raise or lower its front end, to cause it to cut deeper or shallower.

D is a vertical xed blade, dividing the cutter D into two parts, and intended to divide and loosen the excavated dirt, to cause it to follow the elevator better, and to reduce the draft.

Dll is a chain, attached at its lower end to the front end of the cutter D, and its other end may be engaged with ahook, d', on the draftbar C, to hold the cutter at the desired cuttingangle.

E E are gage-wings, arranged one at each side of the cutter D on adjustable arms e, so that either one may be set outward, as shown by dotted lines at Fig. 8, for the purpose oi' pressing against the distant side of the ditch, and holding the cutter over to the other side in going through the same ditch the second passage.

F is the drivers seat, and has transverse ledges f on its lower side, by means of which it can be readily and easily mounted on or disrnounted from the upper part and one side of the plate al, as shown at Figs. 2, 3, 4, and S.

F is a stay for the lower end ofthe rackbar B, and extends across the centrally-elevated part of the axle.

G is the rear axle, supported on wheels G, which wheels have spur-pinions g on their inner sides. H H are standards, projecting upward from the axle G, and their upper ends, h, 4

bent forward. I l are bars, converging at their forward ends to form a handle, I', and hinged or journaled one to the forward end ot' each part 7L of a standard, H, at h. J is a shaft, journaled in bearings in the bars I, immediately over the vertical parts of the standards I-I, so that when the bars I are in their normal positions the shaft J will rest in semicircular grooves iu the upper ends of the standards H, as shown by dotted lines at Fig. 2, and the pinions J', on the outer ends of the shaft J, at the same time be in gear with the pinions g. To throw them out of gear the forward ends of the bars I :may be lowered.

K is a shaft, journaled in the rear projectings ends of the bars I, and has a pinion,j, which gears with the pinion J on the shaft J. L is a dirt-carrier trough, fixed to the axle G by braces g' and a bar, g". The trough L is in two parts, L' L".

rIhe part L' is rigidly attached to the bar g", and the part L" is made adjustable thereon by set-screw and slotted plate, as plainly shown at Fig. 9, which is a bottom view of the trough and adjusting devices. By means of said adjustment the trough may be lengthened or shortened, as desired.

To the forward end of the trough L is xed a hook, L, which may be engaged with an eye, Z', on the rear end of the cutter D, and forms the coupling between the forward and rear frames. Near the forward en d and above the trough L are hinged blades M, one on each side of the trough, and each provided with an arm, m, hinged to the blade and passed through a slotted standard, m', through which a bolt passes, which may be fixed in either of a series of holes, m", in the arm m, for adjusting the inclination and the distance apart of the blades M, (see Figs. 6 and 10,) and thus adjust said blades to cut the sides'of the ditch at any desired slope.

The dirt, as it is excavated by the cutter D, is forced backward to the trough L, up which it is carried by elevators N, attached to an endless ehain, N', which passes over a pulley, a, at the lower end of the trough L, and a drivingpulley .or chain-wheel, a', on the shaft K.

O is a trough, iixed transversely at the rear end of themachine, and is adjustable in length, so as to discharge the dirt at any desired distance from the machine, and is adjustable in height at one end, as shown at Figs. l and 5, and is hinged, as shown, so as to permit of adjusting and keeping it in a horizontal position when the forward ends of the elevatortrough and cutters are lowered in cutting deep ditches.

This adjustment of the height of one end of the trough O is made by the following construction: aHsee Fig. 5) is a projection on the bottom of the trough O, which is hinged by a pin to the projection a5, attached to an arm, a, secured at its inner end to the axle, and bent upward around^the trough O at its outer end.

la" (see Figi) is a plate, having an oriiee near its upper end, which forms one of the journalbearings of the shaft I of the pulley p. rThe plate a3 is slotted near its lower end at s', which slot receives a set-screw, s, by means of which one end of the shaft I of the pulley p can be raised or lowered. When the shaft I is thus adjusted by means of the set-screw s and plate a3 the trough O can also be adjusted on its pivotal connections a4 a5 to conform to the adjustment of the shaft P and to preserve its horizontal position.

P is a shaft, j ournaled in suitable standards, and has a bevel-pinion, 1?',which gears with and receives motion from a bevel-pinion, P",

on the shaft J, and carries a chain wheel, p, ,which gives motion to an endless chain carrier, Q, which passes around the wheel p, and a pulley, p'. The dirt falls by a chute, O', from the trough L to 4the trough 0, along which it is carried or forced by the carriers Q, and discharged at the side of the ditch or in a wagon, or other suitable device, drawn alongside of the machine.

The principal operations of the machine are hereinbefore described in connection with the description of the parts. It will be evident that the cutter D may be raised above the ground and out of operation -by means of the crank, pinion, and rack bar; and that the driver may operate the crank for the purpose from his seat, and may also throw the dirt-- elevating devices in and out of gear by raising and lowering the forward ends of the bars I by means of their handle I', and thus throw the pinions J in or out of gear with the pinions g.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The cutter D, hinged to the lower end of the rack-bar B, and arranged to operate with said rack-bar, substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

2. The rack-bar B, pinion B', and cutter D, in combina-tion with draft-bar C, to whichl the rack-bar is coupled by an adjustable link, C

C", substantiallyas and forthe purposel specified.

3. The wings E, arranged to operate With the .cutter D, substantially as described, and for the purpose specied.

4:. The chain D", arranged to operate with the cutter D, hinged to the rack. bar B, and with the draft-bar C, substantial-ly as -and for the purpose specified.

5. The driver's seat-F, removably seated on the plate al, substantially as and for-:the vpurpose specified.

6. The wing cutters M, hinged tothe trough L, and ha/ving arms m, with holes m", in combination with standard m', substantially as and for the purpose specified.

7. The wing cuttersl M, hinged tothetrough L, substantially as and for the lpurpose specified.

8. The dirt-carrier trough. L, constructed iu two parts, L'L", the former rigidly attached to the bar g", andthe latter. maderadjustable by a set-screw and slotted plate, as described, so as to lengthen thecarrieras desired.

9. The bars I, carryingshafts J and K, having pinions and chain-wheel, as described,

arranged to operate with pinion g, axle G, and In testimony that I claim the foregoing as Wheels G', substantially as described, and for my own I eflX my signature in presence of two the purpose specified.

10. rEhe carrier O, hinged as described, to permit of its being inclined, as set forth, in combination with shaft P, pinions P P, shaft J, and hinged arms I, substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

- witnesses.

MANNA'ssEH W. FARBER.

Witnesses: f

J oHN F. LEECH, JOHN J. FITZGERALD. 

